Once again the reffing in this game was horrible. I guarantee if the score was only 2-1 theres no way they call the 5 on 3 penalty. Something has to be done,its not just the odd game being reffed poorly its just about every game.

Southern_Canuck wrote:What was it that Higgins did to get a hooking penalty to put the Canucks down 2 men... anybody see it? With 3:42 left in the game, and the Canucks already down a man?

'Cause I couldn't figure it out.

Is it just a league vs. Vancouver thing stemming from Campbell and 2011, or is it a referee incompetence thing?

S_C

I'm fairly convinced it is a league versus strong market Canadian teams, first. Then league versus strong teams playing against shit teams, second. Then league versus team playing against league preferred team, third.

Colorado has been shit since Sakic retired. Refs call the obvious stuff against them, most of it anyways, but let everything else go and nail the Canucks with some BS.

I'm convinced that the Canucks could put just Schneider or Lou out there alone, and in the event of a miracle that the 5-on-0 couldn't generate a goal the refs would try and toss Schneider or Lou with a match-penalty for some bullshit reason.

Yeah, totally. Just last week when they lost to Minny, I was wondering if they were going to make the playoffs. Then they go on a tear and win 4 straight with a depleted lineup. Schneids deserves to be one of the stars of the week.

I'm liking Ballard as a forward too. When he's up front, I don't mind if he skates with the puck and tries some high risk plays cuz if he looses it, there should be a couple D-men back there to back him up. Ballard has good speed, plays with some jam & energy and seemed really attentive defensively. Hopefully he'll get a goal or 2 soon to get his confidence up a bit. Maybe if we're luckey, he'll become on of those guys turned from d-man to forward and enjoyed some NHL success like former canucks gary leeman and scott walker.

Hockey Widow wrote:Amazing what a winning streak can do eh?

Good solid effort from a team they should beat, even with a depleted line up.

Not a bad game, especially considering it was the 2nd in as many nights.

Mistakes on both sides kept it exciting. The Canucks once again recovered quickly on defense and backed each other up.

Schneider was very good. His posts saved him a few times and the only pucks to actually make it into the net were on a 2-on-1, that had he stopped might have been one of the best saves of the year, and a bizarre bounce off of Hansen's skate.

The PP looked good to start, scoring on the first opportunity. The 2nd time around it looked good but the Sedins managed to thwart it. I would venture to say that Daniel Sedin could be a 40-45 goal scorer in this league on a regular basis if he would just shoot the puck more. He has a lethally accurate shot but he just doesn't use it. A wide open net and he decides to get cute and pass back to Hank. Then he has multiple other looks at the net and doesn't even try to beat Giguere, passes off, and the play is dead. Vigneault needs to split the Sedins up on the PP. They can both distribute and they both seem to want to play setup man.....so let them.....on different lines. Garrison as the shooter over Edler is way better. That tandem at the point was awesome, good passing back and forth and both able to receive the passes from the forwards. Edler should be demoted to the second unit for next game.

Higgins and Raymond had great chemistry out there on the PK and any other time they ended up on the ice together. Both of those guys are playing with some real confidence right now.

Schroeder looking much better than he did before being sent down and re-called.

I really do wonder why the defense looked so much better and so much more in-synch with each other these last two games with Edler out of the lineup. The mistakes are still there, plenty of them, but they definitely were reading and reacting better to them. Even the way they worked with Schneider when he plays the puck has been better the last two games.

Ballard at forward has been a good experiment so far, it's a better fit for him as it lets him skate the puck and think attack first, but he knows how to play defense and seemed very tough for the attacking forwards and point men to play against.

I hope this play keeps up, but I still don't see this team as being a threat in the playoffs.

The one thing about Garrison on the point during the PP is he gets the pucks through. They don't all hit the net, really only a few do, but they don't die at the feet of the guy trying to block the shot. He doesn't try to get to fancy on the PP like Edler does. He keeps it simple. He knows he is there to shoot and shoot hard so he does. He doesn't give the puck up at the blue line either. AV has to keep him on the number one unit until he shows he shouldn't be there.

If Edler goes to the second unit he may settle down a bit. He and Bieksa on the 2nd unit can do some damage.

I liked Alberts' game tonight. Simple. He didn't have the give a ways he has last night and he threw a few nasty hits. He is settling in now that he is getting more playing time. It was a scary thought that both he and Barker dressed in the same game.

Another plus if having Ballard as a forward is that he can still slide back to defence if needed. Like game 7 of the Cup finals. Oops, they didn't dress him as a forward that game even though Ehrhoff had a busted shoulder and Edler had 3 broken fingers . But I digress to a past sore point.

MG must have been trying to save cap dollars by not calling anyone up. To my surprise the team has played 4 good games in a row with great goaltending and have won them all. A lot of players playing for their future, proving they belong in the NHL. A little incentive that perhaps our core has been missing.

Hockey Widow wrote:A lot of players playing for their future, proving they belong in the NHL. A little incentive that perhaps our core has been missing.

I suspect this is accurate.

Right now our most effective players are upcoming FAs and younger players looking to stick in the lineup.

It also helps that this current group is viewed as underdogs and playing with something to prove after a stinky 15 game stretch and a bevy of injuries. Everybody was ready to write them off, but if they can maintain this urgency over their remaining 16 games, they could win the division. If they get some bodies back for the playoffs, and manage to not lose anybody else, who knows.

Another plus if having Ballard as a forward is that he can still slide back to defence if needed. Like game 7 of the Cup finals. Oops, they didn't dress him as a forward that game even though Ehrhoff had a busted shoulder and Edler had 3 broken fingers . But I digress to a past sore point.

MG must have been trying to save cap dollars by not calling anyone up. To my surprise the team has played 4 good games in a row with great goaltending and have won them all. A lot of players playing for their future, proving they belong in the NHL. A little incentive that perhaps our core has been missing.

OK I like Ballard as a forward but he absolutely stunk up the ice as a Dman.. Thats why he didn't get a shot in game 7 and why after 19 games this season he was replaced by Alberts..who at least stays in position and can clear the crease.. Yep I agree the young players and callups are playing with a lot more edge than the guys they replaced and AV has done a great job in mixing and matching the lines to make the most of their talents while changing the style of the team ( Notable exception =the Sedin line ) to a "defence first " mentality.. Edler being out hasn't hurt at all his defensive skills have been going downhill since last years All Star break..

Meds wrote:Daniel had two wide open shots and elected to pass. The second time he had all the time in the world and just looked at the net before making a pass across the slot that was easily picked off.

Then he decides not to shoot off the rush and tries to be fancy and go behind the net and make a setup play.....screws up, then screws up again at the point and the rush goes the other way on a 2-on-1 for the Avs. Goal. Tie game.

RoyalDude wrote:I think we should fire AV for playing Ballard as a defenseman when he should have been playing him as a forward, what an i-diot

Shouldn't we fire AV for putting pairing Special K Bieksa and Andrew Alberts together? Maybe we should fire MG for trying to convince the fans Barker can play defense in the NHL or AV for actually playing him? MG definitely needs to be fired for keeping Ballard around for 2 years too long when he knew AV wasn't enamored with him... then he needs to be re-fired for giving Lu that ridiculous contract and then keeping him around this long after announcing he would be traded.

Hank wrote:Shouldn't we fire AV for putting pairing Special K Bieksa and Andrew Alberts together? Maybe we should fire MG for trying to convince the fans Barker can play defense in the NHL or AV for actually playing him? MG definitely needs to be fired for keeping Ballard around for 2 years too long when he knew AV wasn't enamored with him... then he needs to be re-fired for giving Lu that ridiculous contract and then keeping him around this long after announcing he would be traded.